Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-08-18
nIoRAoE OLE Eonn.n.
brouiag Importance of Saving Food 70
Stock ln Seasons OF Plenty.

scarcity of TODD for human beings.
Fanines that once resulteu In causing
the starvation Of millions Of human be-
ings are never likely to occur again, OF
at least they are not likely to occur II,
civilized countricS A sufficient
amount of food IS produced almost
every year in some part Of the world to
supply all the inhabitants Of every por-
lion Of it. The news OF the failure OF
crops in any country spreads all over
the world fong before a famine occurs,
and provisions are made for obtaining
supplies, BY means Of steamships and
railroads grains and meats can be-
transported and distributed very rap
idly. There are now organized char
tiles in nearly every country that are
conducted on business principles. The
wealth of nations, associations and in
dividuals is at the disposal of famine
stricken communities. Differences Of
race, religion or form Of civilization
disappear when the report is circulated
that people are suffering for want of
sufficient and suitable food.
During the past forty years such an
advance has been made in methods Of
storing grain, in preserving fruits and
canning meat and fish as to render
famine almost impossible. Fruits, fish
and fresh meats can be kept for twenty
years in hermetically sealed packages,
and can be exposed to the changes o'
climate without liability TO injury. A
sufficient amount of beef and mutton
could be canned in Australia or in
some Of the countries in South America
in a months time to supply the inhab-
itants Of an empire with meat for a
year Alaska, Newfoundland or Nor
way could supply fish preserved in the
same way. California, Cuba and Cen
trail America are able to supply the
world with fresh fruits preserved in
air-tight packages. BY the new meth
DDS of drying grains all the cereals
can be kept for many years and stored
in fire and moisture-proof warehouses
at a nominal cost. Chemical knowledge
has enabled us to keep in fresh state
nearly all the articles Of fooi that
few years ago were classed as perisha.
bic and the great bulk of which was or
dinarily wasted.
Apparently the danger Of scarcity
of food for domesticated animals be-
comes greater as that of food for hui
man beings becomes less. Stock-rais-
ing has become the leading pursuit of
a large proportion Of the persons who
own and occupy land. Most of them
aim to keep as many'horscs, cattle,
sheep and pigs on their places as they
think they can supply with food. In
case Of drought they sell Off animals
50 as TO have fodder enough to ''go
round They generally find it inn
practicable to purchase food to feed to
large number of animals. Ordinarily,
it would not be economical to do so,
rs the food would cost more than the
would sell for after they had
it. Hay, straw aud other kinds of fod-
der are too bulky to transport long
distances at any thing like a moderate
cost 1t is generally cheaper II take
farm animals to places where there are
large supplies of food-if such places
can be found-thaa to bring the food
to them. The difficulty in doing either
Of these things is the lack of money in
the hands of farmers and stock-owncrs
during seasons Of severe drought.
The small crop Of grass and other
forage plants this season will doubtless
have the effect of calling the attention
Of farmers to the necessity Of storing
fodder for stock during years Of
plenty to have ready for use during
years Of scarcity. Without doubt a
million farm animals will be disposed
Of or kept at a loss to their ov uers in
the Northwestern States and Territor- |
les this season on account Of lack of
sufficient food to feed them during hext
winter A little foresight on the part !
Of the owners Of these animals would !
have prevented this loss. During
years Of plenty they did not follow the !
set by Joseph in Egypt They |
did not store up food against the COM !
ing years Of famine. They burned the !
straw produced in their grain-felds or
allowed it TO rot in heaps. They suf- !
fcred their cornstalks 10 remain where |
they grew or plowed them under for |
manure. They burned many acres of
good prairie grass in order to make the |
plsturage better or to prevent the |
'prcad Of fires at times when they |
would be likely 10 destroy crops or
Iarm buildings. Apparently they had |
mo thought Of years when there
would be little rain to produce fodder
'or stock.
IL IS very easy matter 10 preserve
nay made from clover and tame !
yrasses II farmer has sufficient barn
'oom. 1t can be kept for five or even
en- years without having its quality
greatly injured. Tie hay made of
Tough grass or the wild grass of the
'rairie can be kept for years with very
title loss in well-constructed stacks or
-icks. Especially is this the case when
he stacks or rioks are covered with
hatch made Of long rye straw rs they
IRE in England. BY taking great pains
n building the stacks grain straw can
&c kept in as good condition as II was
When il was thrashed. Two hundred
ons Of pressed hay can be kept for
ears under q roof that in most parts
4 the country would not cost more
han fifty dollars-the amount that
nay be realized for three tons In a
ear Of scarcity. Cheap hay is gencr-
liy good Investment II costs next
D nothing to hold II and it ENABLES
he owner to sell il at a high price
hen the grass crop fails or tc buy
attic and other stock to feed when
hey are low. Chicago Times.